Even though I've driven through the rolling green hills surrounding Jerusalem many times, their beauty strikes me each time anew, and I always manage to find something that I hadn't noticed before. Yad Kennedy I was recently driving on Route 3965 toward the Aminadav Forest when suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Yad Kennedy memorial and realized that I hadn't been there since I was a kid on a school field trip. I was trying to calculate how many times I'd driven by the soaring monument since then without giving it another thought. And so I decided that the time had come for another visit. Right away, as I approached the monument which was built in recognition of American president John F. Kennedy, I recalled the breathtaking view over Nahal Sorek, Mount Eitan and Tel Tzova. The memorial itself is pretty unique. Shaped like the stump of a felled tree, it symbolizes a life that was cut short, as was Kennedy's when he was assassinated in November 1963. I don't know exactly why I was feeling sentimental this November and decided to visit the memorial. I guess it was something in the autumn air. If you climb up the stairs to the monument, you'll notice inside that there are 51 columns (symbolizing the 50 states plus the District of Columbia), and the emblems of each state are displayed on each of the seven-meter-high columns. The space inside at first seems empty, but if you look, you'll see there's a memorial flame right in the middle that is always lit. Just next to the memorial is a Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund information booth, so if you have any questions about hiking trails or if you just want a map, there should be an on-site representative to help out. Shvil Hama'ayanot With my map in hand, I continued on my search of the trail I'd set out to hike in the first place: Shvil Hama'ayanot (Springs Path). It's a five-minute drive on the road that goes down toward Khirbat Sa'adim, the remains of a farm that was in operation during the Byzantine period. There are also remains from an olive press and mosque that were built a little bit later, but this wasn't really my destination either – just a convenient place that you pass by anyway which happens to be a great place to stop for a picnic. From the large parking area, there are a number of trails you can choose from. My favorite is the green trail that leads to Shvil Hama'ayanot, one of the most popular trails in the area. This is a great time of year to hike here, since the rains haven't started, and yet somehow the pools still manage to be full of water and you can swim and lounge in the area. The green trail is not circular, but it is a relatively short walk back and forth to the springs. If you happen to be traveling with friends or family in two cars, I recommend leaving one car at Even Sapir. But if not, don't worry, the 3-km. trail is fairly flat, except for a few small sections with descents that can become slippery after a rain. But with the current forecast, slippery slopes don't seem to be an issue. While you're walking, take a look at the flora surrounding the path – there are terebinth, oak and large olive trees all around. And if you take a look, you'll notice that all of the trees are growing on terraces that were built in the mountainous region in ancient times to overcome the lack of flat farming land. After a short while, you'll reach the Aminadav Springs, which unfortunately are still dry in the fall just before the rainy season begins. Of course, the situation will be quite different in a few months, after the rains have filled up the pools. For now, the spring is flowing, but the flow is not strong enough to fill the pools. You are welcome, however, to climb up through the shaft to the opening at the top. It's not very long, so it never gets completely dark inside the shaft, so there's no need to bring flashlights. You can light up your cellphone for a few seconds if you want. When you're done hanging out at the springs, you can go back to the green trail and continue another 10 minutes, which will bring you to Uzi Springs, which have two pools. The first is large and square, and the second, which is nearby, is a bit smaller. The larger one is much more popular, and so it is often crowded. If you prefer a quieter place with less traffic, continue on to the smaller one. If you're visiting while the sun is out, even this time of year the weather should be warm enough to go swimming in the pools. Granted, the water is pretty cold, but it feels great and gives you a great boost of energy. If you prefer, you can just wade in the water and get your feet wet. At any rate, this is a fantastic place to stop and rest before getting back on the trail on your way to Ein Tamar. Ein Tamar is named after Tamar Natan, who was killed while she was on a trip overseas. The spring, which is surrounded by lots of greenery and trees that create a natural shade barrier, flows into a pool that was built in the Byzantine period. This pool is much shallower than the two previous ones, but there's enough water to get your feet wet and splash around a little, so long as you don't mind the green algae-like plants that grow around the water. If you take a close look at the ancient pool, you'll see that it has a very interesting architectural structure, and there are nooks that have been hollowed out in the sides. There are a number of hypotheses as to what these curved spaces were used for, but the prevailing idea is that the pool was used as a fish-breeding pond, and the holes were used for spawning. When you're done looking at the fish, you can set up a relaxing picnic at one of the tables. When you've finished resting at Ein Tamar, you're going to need to choose one of two directions. The first will take you back up on the same trail you came down on, to the parking area where you left your car. The second option is to continue along the green trail, where you can continue searching for more dry pools, ancient remains and hidden caves. What's fun about the latter option is going off the trail, finding antiquities and imagining what it was like to live in the area so long ago. The moment you've had enough, all you have to do is turn around and retrace your steps back to your car. Translated by Hannah Hochner.
(photo credit: MEITAL SHARABI)